


The Art of Pining

by Just_Here_To_Procrastinate, zathuraroy5 (Emilie)



Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Asgardian Tony Stark, Crushes, Fluff, Fluffy Ending, FrostIron - Freeform, Frostiron Minibang 2019, Getting Together, Gift Exchange, M/M, Mutual Pining, Pining, Tony Stark Has A Heart, Weddings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-15
Updated: 2019-05-15
Packaged: 2020-02-10 20:50:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,081
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18668137
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Just_Here_To_Procrastinate/pseuds/Just_Here_To_Procrastinate, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Emilie/pseuds/zathuraroy5
Summary: After pining over each other for centuries, Anthony and Loki finally get a chance to make their feelings known.Or what happens when two Frostiron nerds team up for the Discord Minibang





	The Art of Pining

**Author's Note:**

> A very late addition to the Frostiron Minibang XD

Anthony Howardson was completely and utterly in love with Prince Loki. He had been for two century and yet he just couldn’t bring himself to have a proper conversation with the prince. The first few steps to get him into the castle, to get the necessary connections had been easy. Fools play even. All he had to do was go to the same bar as Prince Thor, challenge the firstborn to a drinking contest and then bam. They were best friends.

Now Anthony just had to put up with Thor and his friend’s stupidity.

But well, it was worth it for the other benefits he reaped from his new position, even if he had yet to have more than a single conversation with Prince Loki. Two centuries ago, Anthony had been a smith catering to Asgard’s middle-class, living comfortably off his late father’s reputation. Now he made weapons for the Royal Guard, the Allfather’s generals and the majority of the upper-class. His profits and reputation had skyrocketed, all due to his close presence with Thor, and a few carefully placed words around the right people.

In two short centuries, Anthony had become the most sought after Smith in Asgard, and one of the best in the nine realms. The only downside of it was that he was constantly busy. If he wasn’t crafting weapons then he was with Thor, leaving him no time to even try and gather up the courage to approach his favoured prince.

It was frustrating to say the least.

At this rate he was going to end up being stuck with Thor and watching as some other lucky bastard stole Loki away before Anthony even got a simple “hello”.

It wasn’t as if he was waiting for Prince Loki to come to him. No, he had given up thinking that was ever going to happen. Prince Loki was reserved, beautiful, sharp, fearless and so cold. Often Anthony wondered if it was because he was Thor’s friend that Loki didn’t bother to give him a second glance. Perhaps the two of them had a deal Loki not courting any of Thor’s shield brothers.

Anthony itched to ask, but it wasn’t as if he could just go up to Thor and say, “Hey I want to bone your brother. That okay with you?”

Instead, Anthony had been trying to convince himself to just go up to Loki and start another conversation.

The first, and only, conversation the two had had was all around the use of magic in smithing. And that had just sealed the final nail in Anthony’s coffin. Not only was Loki insanely good looking, but he was incredibly smart as well. They had talked for ten uninterrupted minutes until Loki’s duties caught up to him, and with each minute that had passed Anthony had felt himself falling deeper and deeper for the prince.

That had been almost two centuries ago and since then nothing.

He had gone to the library at the same time as the prince. Walked through the gardens whenever he had seen the prince seek a reprieve from his courtly duties. Anthony was pretty much stalking Prince Loki at this point. Yet whenever he saw Loki, all words died on his tongue and his mind went blank.

It was ridiculous how Loki could send him a single look, one that spoke of an unending stream of pranks if his time was wasted, and Anthony would run away with his tail tucked between his legs.

He just had to wait for the right opportunity. For the perfect excuse to talk to Prince Loki. One that wouldn’t look too out of place or artificial. It wasn’t as if he could just start talking to Loki out of nowhere.

When the perfect situation arose he would know.

Until then Anthony just had to wait.

* * *

 

There were several rules that Loki made sure to follow. Don’t get disappointed when his father ignored his achievements. Don’t get angry when Thor just simply forgot he existed. And don’t court any of Thor’s friends because they are all arrogant idiots who think drinking and battling are the best things in the nine realms. The first two rules were broken frequently, on a weekly basis even, but the last one he had managed to keep intact. For a while at least.

Two centuries ago, Thor made a friend who seemed to have a bit of character for once. Or at least Loki had thought. Anthony Howardson annoyed him to no end. He laughed at all of Thor’s idiot jokes, spent his nights drinking himself into a stupor at whatever bar Thor favoured that week. Everything he did around Thor fit in with the brainless warrior image. Yet often Loki would see him in the library reading around his craft or taking a stroll in the gardens.

It was enough to make Loki wonder if the Smith was just putting up a front around Thor and the other buffoons he was constantly around. Thinking about it, considering that Anthony might just be a decent person, had led to Loki realising that he had feelings for him. He was considering that Anthony might have some form of intelligence out of hope.

The one conversation the two of them shared was another reason for Loki’s hope. The smith had surprised Loki with his knowledge on forging weapons suitable for enchantments, as well as the use of magical techniques during the forging. It was one of the most intelligent conversations Loki had had in decades. And it was before he had realised that Anthony was truly becoming one of Thor’s closest friends. The man practically merging in with the Warriors Three.

The fact that Anthony had gotten through his defences so quickly and efficiently was what annoyed Loki. It shouldn’t have been possible. He had spent almost six centuries building up walls to protect himself, and Anthony had just walked right through them, as if they didn’t exist.

That being said, Loki was content to ignore his crush. He wasn’t interested in courting anyone who laughed at Thor’s lewd jokes, even if it was possible that they had some form of intelligence hidden behind their oafish actions.

Anthony would have to prove himself before Loki even considered entertaining the thought of being with him. Prove that he wasn’t simply one of Thor’s horrendous shield brothers, that there was more to him than brawling and drinking.

Loki could wait. He was immortal after all.

* * *

 

Anthony was in his forge when the summons came. The crown prince wanted, and expected, him to drop everything and come to the palace for lunch. And of course Anthony had no choice but to put down the very important twin daggers he was working on and leave his apprentices to look after the forge while he was gone for the afternoon.

It was just his luck that Thor would capitalise his attention when he had a dozen orders due and his own personal project.

It was frustrating.

But hey, if there was a chance he would see Prince Loki again then he couldn’t complain.

The walk to the dining hall was a short one, Anthony’s forge was basically on the other side of the palace walls giving him optimum opportunity to stalk Loki. And by stalk he meant, well there wasn’t really any other way to put it. How else was he supposed to find a way to talk to a guy as mysterious as Prince Loki anyway?

When he got to the grand hall everyone was already seated, digging into the food placed down the long tables. Thor was in the middle, there was nowhere else he would’ve been seen, with the Warriors Three and Sif surrounding him. Their chatting was obnoxiously loud.

Prince Loki sat besides Volstagg at the edge of the group, tome open in his lap. He was slowly making his way through his food, barely glancing up from his book.

Sif was the first to notice his approach, calling his name and raising her tankard in greeting.

Anthony took the empty seat opposite Loki, heart thumping almost skipping a beat when the dark haired mage glanced up. Green eyes met hazel ones, just for a fraction of a second, but Anthony could have sworn the floor dropped out from beneath his feet. The effect had always been instantaneous. Loki’s eyes were just so intoxicating especially when in comparison to Thor’s dull blue ones.

“Anthony!” Said Thunder God boomed. “I am glad you could join us.”

“Of course I came, forging all day can be terribly boring.” Anthony’s voice was laced with sarcasm but no one seemed to notice.

All except Prince Loki. He snorted, turning a page of his book.

“You work too hard, friend,” Fandral said, taking a swig of mead, “Which is why we are going hunting.”

Anthony held back a sigh and forced a smile. “Where are we going?”

“Vanaheim. A realm of delicacies.” Volstagg said, lifting a boar’s leg before taking a bite out of it.

This time he did sigh. “As much as I would love to go hunting, unfortunately I have too many orders.”

“Next week then!” Thor held his tankard up in a mock toast. “I’m sure a week will be enough time for you to finish up with your work.”

“Oh I suppose I can fit you in.” Anthony replied cheekily. His grin faded when his eyes travelled across the table, back to Loki, his eyes always found their way back to Loki, and saw the fraction of disappointment in his eyes before the wall came slamming back down.

And that’s when it all came back to Anthony. It was Loki’s six hundredth birthday next week. It was all he had been thinking about for the past month. Hundredth birthdays were special for Asgardians, after all why would you bother celebrating every year when you’re immortal?

And Thor had completely and utterly forgotten. Anthony wondered how often Thor just simply forgot Loki existed. The thought made cold fury rage through his stomach.

The next words came tumbling out his mouth before he could even think about them. “Hey, Prince Loki it’s your birthday next week, right? Why don’t you come on the trip with us to celebrate?”

Loki’s head snapped up. His lips started to form what was no doubt a rejection when Thor jumped on the idea. It was probably one of the first times Anthony ever appreciated Thor’s ability to force people into doing what he wanted to do.

“Yes, brother you must come with us! You haven’t been hunting with us in years.”

“I’m sorry Thor, but I have my studies to attend to.” Loki attempted to dodge the situation.

“There will be time for your tricks later,” Oh how Anthony saw Loki’s eye twitch at that comment yet Thor continued on oblivious. “You are coming with us and that is final.”

The Warriors Three and Sif all glanced at one another, each with a different stage of annoyance. None of them had liked Prince Loki, always preferring Thor for some odd reason that Anthony had yet to identify. He swore he would never understand people who preferred Thor, which unfortunately meant he didn’t understand the majority Asgard.

He couldn’t stop the grin spreading across his face. A few days of hunting on another realm, trapped with Thor and his annoying friends, Loki would have no choice but to talk to Anthony.

It was the opportunity he had been waiting for.

* * *

 

Loki didn’t want to be on this stupid trip.

If Thor was going to completely ignore and forget about him, then he might as well do it out of Loki’s face.

The only plus side to this disaster was that he was stuck with Anthony for the next few days. It would be enough time for Loki to figure out whether the man was a mindless brute or not. He hoped not, but Loki had long since learned not to get his hopes up.

He had almost slept through the trip to Vanaheim, would have if Thor hadn’t started banging on his bedroom door at the brink of dawn. Loki had given Thor his strongest glare, but his brother had just laughed and dragged him and all his bags to the stables.

The trip had been going as all Thor’s hunting trips went. Dull and boring when put simply.

They were on a hunt for anything big enough to be seen a triumph. An adult boar maybe, or a bilgesnipe if Thor was feeling particularly reckless.

Loki was almost tempted to cast a spell to keep animals away from them just to mess with Thor, but Anthony had looked excited for the trip and Loki couldn’t bring himself to ruin the smith’s fun.

So he had been keeping to the back of the party. He had given himself the job of keeping an eye out for any threats that might sneak up on their group. The others were too busy at their lewd jokes, completely oblivious to their surroundings.

The back of Loki’s neck tingled. He looked back towards the group and caught Anthony’s gaze. The man was staring at him. Loki smirked at his brother’s friend and sent him a mischievous wink.

A blush spread across Anthony’s cheeks and whipped back around in his saddle.

Well, that reaction was interesting, Loki thought. He wondered what exactly it meant.

Loki was so distracted by his musing that he didn’t notice the sound until it was too late. A growing roar of hooves. Through the gaps in the trees, he could see a herd of bilgesnipe stampeding. The horns of the gargantuan creatures were destroying everything in their path.

Which would soon include all of them.

“Watch out!” Loki screamed, raising his hands. Green magic flared to life in his palms.

His horse took one look at the stamped and reared. Loki was thrown from it’s back. He fell to the ground, barely able to see his horse flee from the way his vision spun, head smashing against packed dirt, sending him into a daze.

The magic in his hands dying out.

The others jumped down from their skittish horses, and, like idiots, raised their weapons. Their war cries were drowned out by the wave of death getting scarily close.

Only Anthony didn’t join them. He ran for Loki, his back to the bilgesnipe. Just as he reached the fallen prince, the air crackled with electricity.

The two turned their gazes to Thor in time to see him throw his hammer. It smashed into the earth just in front of the herd, sending the front row flying.

The ground of the very steep forest they were standing on shuddered.

And gave away completely. The very earth below them started to slide, pulling Loki and Anthony one way and Thor and his friends the other.

With each second the landslide picked up speed until they were hurtling through trees. Before he could react, or even properly see it coming, a thick branch struck Loki’s temple, knocking him out cold.

When Loki awoke it was to a crystal clear sky and a pounding headache. He raised his fingertips to his head and grimace when they came back a dark red.

Muttering a quick healing spell to himself, Loki stood up, gasping when the world spun. He squinted through his blurred vision, waiting for it to clear.

A few feet away from him lay Anthony, his brown and burgundy armour was covered in mud, steel dented out of place. He was face down and unmoving.

The sight made Loki’s stomach drop and fear flood through his veins. He ran for the smith, the man he had been in love with for so long.

“Anthony, wake up!” Loki pleaded, turning Anthony onto his back. He placed his hands on the other man’s chest, feeling his faint breaths, and started to pour all his magic into the strongest healing spell he knew. “Do you know how annoyed Thor would be if I just let one of his shield brothers die? Wake up, you fool.”

Colour slowly came back to his face, breathing evening out. And then those perfect chocolate eyes opened.

“Loki? What happened?” Anthony groaned.

Loki smiled when he heard his name fall from the smith’s lips and sent a silent thank you to the gods for Anthony’s health. “We were attacked by a herd of bilgesnipe. Can you stand?”

“Yeah, just about.” He took the hand the prince extended and stumbled upright.

“Where are the others?”

“Thor, the fool, triggered a landslide. It separated us.” Loki huffed, letting his eyes roam Anthony, looking for any further injuries.

“Ugh, of course he did.” Anthony grumbled, not sounding surprised at all. “What do you think we should do?”

Loki sighed and said. “It would be wise to return to the Bifrost site. If the others have any sense they will meet us there.”

“Unlikely.” The smith snarked.

“Come, Anthony,” Loki laughed, clasping the other man’s shoulder, “We have quite the trek ahead of us.”

* * *

 

They had been walking for hours, each part of the forest an exact mimicry of everything they had already seen. It was driving Anthony crazy. The incessant evergreen trees, the constant chatter of birds. He was not the type of person to thrive in the wild. The forge was where he felt calmest, the most at home. Doing something practical with his hands was what just felt right.

Walking in silence through a Vanaheim forest with Loki? It was killing him.

Everything about this cursed trip was killing him.

With each step his bag seemed to grow heavier. A constant reminder of the daggers he had finished forging mere days ago. He had brought them on this trip for a reason, a reason he had been putting off fulfilling.

They could arrive at the Bifrost site at any time. He had to do this.

Taking a deep breath to steady his pounding heart, he called, “Prince Loki?”

“Yes?” Loki faltered midstep and turned to face him.

They both came to a halt. Anthony shrugged his bag off his shoulder and onto the ground. “I am sorry for ruining your birthday.” He started, “I knew that you would rather spend it on Asgard with your magic, but I didn’t think you’d be happy spending it alone.”

“While I do admit that this is less than ideal, it is preferable to being cooped up in the library all day, no matter how fascinating some of the texts may be.” Loki smiled slightly.

“There’s actually something I’ve been meaning to give you, for your birthday of course.” Anthony rambled, pulling the daggers free. They were beautiful, truly his best work. Bone handles and serrated steel blades, runes running across and linking the two parts together. “I smithed these last week, it was why I had Thor delay the trip. They are some of the best daggers I’ve ever forged. I don’t know if I’m overstepping any boundaries gifting them to you but - “

 

“They are enchanted?” Loki’s hands hovered over them, no doubt feeling the energy buried in the steel.

“Yeah. I enchanted them myself. Another reason why they took so long to make.” He explained, smiling as Loki took one of the daggers from him.

“You use magic?” For a moment Loki looked dumbfounded.

“I dabble.” Anthony shrugged, ”mostly in enchanting and in finding ways to keep the coals in my forge from going out. But, yeah I guess I do magic.”

“You’ve never mentioned it before, not even around Thor and his friends.” Loki stated.

This time Anthony rolled his eyes. “Well I see how they treat others who use magic and I just didn’t want that, you know?”

“Yes, I understand.” Loki murmured, running his hand along one of the blades.

“So, yeah, I hope you like them.” Anthony looked down, shifting on his feet.

“They are marvelous, Anthony.” Loki hesitated, shook his head and gave the smith a tentative smile. “This may be a bit forward, but in a few weeks there is a festival on Alfheim, celebrating magic and it’s uses. I was hoping to go. Would you like to accompany me?”

“Yes, my prince, I would love to.” Anthony beamed.

* * *

 

Three weeks later, Loki and Anthony headed to Alfheim together and took in the realm and all its splendor. By the time they got there the festival was in full swing and magic was being celebrated in a way Anthony could only dream of in Asgard. He had understood immediately why Loki had wanted to go.

It hadn’t gone unnoticed by Anthony that Loki had strapped the daggers he had given him to the small of his back, hidden under his long green cape.

They had spent the first of their four day trip walking around the markets, examining the magical wares the vendors had to offer. Anthony had bought two tomes on the uses of magic in smithing while Loki had taken to many of the finer potion ingredients that couldn’t be found in Asgard.

In the weeks leading up to the trip they had slowly become friends, talking about magic as the embers of Anthony’s forge went out, recommending each other books whenever their paths crossed in the library.

This new kindling of a friendship had made the conversation flow so easily between them during their first day on Alfheim. But for Anthony it wasn’t enough. Just a friendship with Loki would never be enough.

“Prince Loki, thank you for inviting me. This, this has been amazing.” Anthony said, smiling widely at the realm around him.

“Yes, it has been, hasn’t it.” Loki smiled back at him.

Today had been one of the best days of Anthony’s immortal life, yet he knew that if he didn’t take this opportunity, didn’t at least try and act on his feelings then he would regret it for six hundred more years.

“I believe it is my turn to be forward.” He pulled them both to a stop.

“Yes?” Loki asked, turning to face him.

He took a breath and looked his prince in the eye.“I was hoping that this could be the beginning of our courting.”

Loki gaped, jaw working up and as he struggled to find the right words, until, “Anthony, I was hoping for that as well.”

“Really?” This time it was Anthony who was gaping.

“Yes.” Loki laughed, “I have wanted to court you for a while but I wanted to make sure you weren’t like Thor and his friends.”

He gasped dramatically. “I’m actually stupid. I only befriended them so I could get closer to you.”

“What? But that was almost two centuries ago.”

“I guess I was just too intimidated to properly talk to you.”

“I believe we are both idiots.” Loki put plainly.

“Yes, we are.” Tony paused. “Wait how long have you...?”

“Almost two centuries as well.”

“Ah.”

“Ah. Indeed.”

“So, when’s our next date?” Anthony asked, a cheeky smile growing on his face.

Loki just laughed and pulled him close. Anthony was ready for him. They melt halfway, lips grazing together in a gentle kiss, the first of many.

* * *

 

_Four centuries later._

When Anthony looked in the mirror, he almost believed that what he was seeing was an illusion. All of his wishes, hopes and dreams piled into one image. There was no way it could be real. Yet it was. And even though he was nervous beyond belief, his cheeks ached from smiling since the moment he woke up.

It was truly happening.

In the mirror his armour glistened, gold and white. He had spent a month designing it and another one making it. His vambraces and chest plate were engraved with intertwined snakes and wisps of magic. The cloak that had been clasped over one shoulder was a dark green, trailing along the floor majestically. Those attending him had styled his hair, fluffing it up just as Loki liked it, per Anthony’s request.

If Loki didn’t at least look like he might swoon at the sight of Anthony then his outfit had failed.

The door behind him opened and a royal guard stepped in quietly.

“Lord Anthony, are you ready?”

It was time.

Anthony took a deep breath and pushed his nerves aside. This was going to be the greatest day of his immortal life.

“I’ve been ready for centuries.”

Anthony turned around and left the room to marry the love of his life.


End file.
